Now taking donations for infrastructure

NOW TAKING DONATIONS: Hearing season for the White House’s infrastructure plan is in full swing, but lawmakers don’t seem any closer to figuring out a a realistic pay-for than they were a year ago. House Transportation Committee leaders used a Wednesday hearing on long-term surface transportation funding to urge President Donald Trump and his administration to engage with lawmakers on offsets. Keep in mind that occurred a day after Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao testified before the same members about the administration’s proposal and reiterated that pay-fors are “a big issue” about which officials “want to work with the Congress on finding solutions.” If that’s all the administration has, ranking member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) said, “we’re dead in the water.” “This is not going to come from Congress,” he added. “If the president supports a gas tax, I will stand next to the president.”

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Cold water: During a telephone town hall with the conservative group Americans for Prosperity Wednesday evening, House Speaker Paul Ryan said, “Well, we’re not going to raise gas taxes... There are some people who are talking about that, but the last thing we want to do is pass historic tax relief in December and then undo that, so we are not going to raise gas taxes.”

You go first -- no, you go first: As Washington dithers over who will act first to propose realistic pay-fors, the clock is ticking for committees to put pen to paper. And it doesn’t look like they’re in a huge rush: T&I members have already said a water resources bill will move first, and that a long-term FAA reauthorization (considered a must-pass measure) will also need to be prioritized this summer. And House tax-writers aren’t champing at the bit to hold hearings of their own, as our Brianna Gurciullo and Tanya Snyder report. "At this moment, we don't have plans" to hold a hearing on infrastructure funding, House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady said. "We are eager to hear from the authorizing committee, certainly in the House, come out with their ideas on how to fund infrastructure, a plan," he added.

ABOUT THOSE PAY-FORS: Meanwhile, Senate Democrats Wednesday unfurled their own $1 trillion infrastructure proposal, which they revamped with offsets by undoing some of the biggest tax code changes made last year. That amounts to funneling two-thirds of the deficit spending enabled by the 2017 tax law for infrastructure — a move Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer defended, saying the federal government has long financed roads and bridges “because the external benefits are far greater” than cutting taxes for the top earners and for corporations. As Pro Tax’s Toby Eckert writes, the latest rollout serves mainly as a political marker on jobs and the economy ahead of the midterm elections in November. “This will be a major thing we will talk about, and the contrast between tax cuts for the wealthiest people as opposed to middle-class jobs is one that we will forcefully advocate in the fall,” Schumer said during a press conference. While some numbers were adjusted here and there, the plan is largely derivative of the Dems’ January 2017 infrastructure blueprint.

Thought bubble: If Senate Democrats are already saying they’re making infrastructure a campaign issue by juxtaposing their plan with the GOP tax overhaul, that doesn’t bode well for a sweeping bill’s chances of passage before the midterms.

And about those tunnels: Schumer also sounded an optimistic note about Congress including funding for the Gateway program in the fiscal 2018 omnibus package expected soon, saying he wouldn’t “get into the politics of it.” “The good news is, we have bipartisan support for getting it done, and from everything I hear, it’s all-systems-move-ahead, despite what the president had to say,” he added. Dana Rubinstein and Ryan Hutchins have more for Pros.

Budget nugget: From our friends at Pro Budget and Appropriations: “It's also trickier than it sounds to strip out specific Gateway funding. As [Rep. Mario] Diaz-Balart told us today, there's no actual mention of ‘Gateway’ in the bill. The money comes from a broader account, which has been funded on a yearly basis. The only way to ensure Gateway doesn't get the cash is to write new language, which Diaz-Balart said he doubts would happen. The final decision will be made by leadership.”

IT’S THURSDAY: Thanks for tuning in to POLITICO’s Morning Transportation, your daily tipsheet on all things trains, planes, automobiles and ports. Lauren is your host. You can send scoops, tips and song requests to lgardner@politico.com or @Gardner_LM.

LISTEN HERE: Follow MT’s playlist on Spotify. What better way to start your day than with songs (picked by us and readers) about roads, rails and runways?

** A message from PlanetM – Michigan, where big ideas in mobility are born: When it comes to mobility, safety is no accident in Michigan. Recently named a federal driverless car proving ground, Michigan’s American Center for Mobility offers real world testing environments to validate self-driving systems. Learn how public-private ventures are helping Michigan create a safer world. Visit PlanetM.com**

SO MARK ’EM UP UP UP: The Senate Homeland Security Committee gave the “OK” to a DHS reauthorization Wednesday. During the markup, Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, the panel’s top Democrat, called for more frequent and regular reauthorizations of the agency and groused about the way jurisdiction is split in the Senate. The Republican majority shot down her amendment to reauthorize transit security, port security and other grant programs at the levels set in the House’s bill, H.R. 2825 (115).

JUST A HOP, SKIP AND A JUMP AWAY: The House Homeland Security Committee took a slightly different approach to surface transportation during its markup Wednesday and approved a slew of bills aimed at bettering TSA’s approach to addressing threats to rail, transit and highways. Also approved were two aviation security bills that would re-establish TSA’s air cargo security office and direct the federal air marshals to rethink the way they staff domestic and international flights.

Some friendly advice: Transportation subcommittee Chairman John Katko (R-N.Y.) told POLITICO he found it troubling that the Senate's DHS reauthorization bill would reduce transit and port security grant funding, suggesting it could be a sticking point. “We just, by the grace of God, avoided a suicide bomber in a train station. And this is not the time to be cutting funds,” he said. He added that his committee-approved bill, H.R. 5081 (115), would establish an advisory committee that could address concerns about oversight of the grant programs. Meanwhile, committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-Texas), during opening remarks for the panel’s markup, generally shaded his Senate counterparts for their delayed efforts to move a DHS renewal bill and said he was hopeful they would soon advance the more than 60 other homeland security bills that had been sent over.

PORTAL TO THE KNOWN: NHTSA has unveiled an interactive portal for the public to access a host of data derived from the agency’s annual traffic safety report. Users can download information sliced in a variety of ways, from state-level views to the types of vehicles involved in crashes.

ICYMI: The White House is drafting legislation “that for the first time would allow federal law enforcement and homeland security to disrupt, take over or even destroy suspected hostile drones in U.S. airspace,” The Wall Street Journal writes. The effort is intended to break an impasse over FAA’s stalled attempt to loosen rules governing drone flights.

MT INFLUENCE: McDermott Will & Emery registered to lobby for DJI on drone issues. The lobbyists: Stephen Ryan, former general counsel for the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee; former Rep. Jeff Miller (R-Fla.); David Ransom, former senior adviser to Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.); and Erica Stocker, a former staffer for ex-Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.). K&L Gates also lobbies for DJI.

THE COUNTDOWN: DOT appropriations run out in 16 days. The FAA reauthorization expires in 24 days. Highway and transit policy is up for renewal in 938 days.

** A message from PlanetM – Michigan, where big ideas in mobility are born: Self-driving cars are just the start of the mobility revolution. Everything from transportation to jobs to quality of life for the elderly will be affected. And Michigan is leading the charge for the future of mobility. That’s because Michigan has the resources, progressive legislation and infrastructure that enable mobility companies to thrive. 22 venture capital firms and eight angel groups are active in the mobility space in Michigan while another 46 provide entrepreneurial support. Learn more about the reasons to invest in Michigan at PlanetM.com. **

About The Author : Lauren Gardner

Lauren Gardner is a reporter for POLITICO Pro Canada. Before joining POLITICO, she covered energy and environment policy at CQ Roll Call, writing about everything from the EPA's climate change rules to the oil and gas exports debate in Congress. Gardner started her career in Washington as an IRS reporter for BNA.

Gardner, a Philadelphia native, graduated from American University with degrees in journalism and international studies. Outside of the Capitol, you can find her running the trails of Northern Virginia and D.C. or rooting for the Philadelphia Eagles. She lives with her husband and their beagle mix Barkley in Alexandria.